6 Health Benefits of

Apple Cider Vinegar,

Backed by Science
Apple cider vinegar is the most popular type of vinegar
in the natural health community.
It is claimed to lead to all sorts of benefits, many of
which are supported by science.
This includes weight loss, reduced cholesterol, lower
blood sugar levels and improved symptoms of diabetes.
It is also an ancient folk remedy, and has been used for
various household and cooking purposes.
Here are 6 health benefits of apple cider vinegar that are
supported by scientific research.
1. High in Acetic Acid
1. High in Acetic Acid, With Potent
Biological Effects
Apple cider vinegar is made in a two-step process,
related to how alcohol is made (1).
The first step exposes crushed apples (or apple cider) to
yeast, which ferment the sugars and turn them into
alcohol.
In the second step, bacteria are added to the alcohol
solution, which further ferment the alcohol and turn it
into acetic acid — the main active compound in vinegar.
In French, the word "vinegar" actually means "sour
wine."
Organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar (like Bragg's)
also contains "mother," strands of proteins, enzymes
and friendly bacteria that give the product a murky
appearance.
Some people believe that the "mother" is responsible for
most of the health benefits, although there are currently
no studies to support this.
Apple cider vinegar only contains about three calories
per tablespoon, which is very low.
There are not many vitamins or minerals in it, but it
does contain a small amount of potassium. Quality apple
cider vinegar also contains some amino acids and
antioxidants.
Summary Apple cider vinegar is made by fermenting
the sugar from apples. This turns them into acetic acid,
which is the active ingredient in vinegar.
2. Kills Bacteria
2. Can Kill Many Types of Harmful Bacteria
Vinegar can help kill pathogens, including bacteria (2).
It has traditionally been used for cleaning and
disinfecting, treating nail fungus, lice, warts and ear
infections.
Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, used
vinegar for wound cleaning over two thousand years ago.
Vinegar has also been used as a food preservative, and
studies show that it inhibits bacteria (like E. coli) from
growing in food and spoiling it (2, 3, 4).
If you're looking for a natural way to preserve your food,
then apple cider vinegar could be highly useful.
There have also been anecdotal reports of diluted apple
cider vinegar helping with acne when applied to the
skin, but I didn't find any strong research to confirm
this.
Summary The main substance in vinegar, acetic acid,
can kill harmful bacteria or prevent them from
multiplying. It has a history of use as a disinfectant and
natural preservative.
3. Lowers Blood Sugar
3. Lowers Blood Sugar Levels and Fights
Diabetes
By far, the most successful application of vinegar to date
is in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is characterized by high blood sugar
levels, either because of insulin resistance or an inability
to produce insulin (5).
However, high blood sugar can also be a problem in
people who don't have diabetes. It is believed to be a
major cause of aging and various chronic diseases.
Pretty much everyone should benefit from keeping their
blood sugar levels in the normal range. The most
effective (and healthiest) way to do that is to avoid
refined carbs and sugar, but apple cider vinegar can also
have a powerful effect.
Vinegar has been shown to have numerous benefits for
blood sugar and insulin levels:
• Improves insulin sensitivity during a high-carb meal by
 19–34% and significantly lowers blood sugar and
insulin responses (6).
• Reduces blood sugar by 34% after eating 50 grams of
white bread (7).
• 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar before bedtime
can reduce fasting blood sugar in the morning by
4% (8).
• Numerous other studies in humans show that vinegar
can improve insulin function and lower blood sugar
levels after meals (9, 10).
For these reasons, vinegar can be useful for people with
diabetes, pre-diabetes, or those who want to keep their
blood sugar levels low for other reasons.
If you're currently taking blood-sugar-lowering
medications, check with your doctor before increasing
your intake of any type of vinegar.
Summary Apple cider vinegar has shown great
promise in improving insulin sensitivity and helping
lower blood sugar responses after meals.
4. Weight Loss
4. Helps You Lose Weight and Reduces
Belly Fat
Surprisingly, studies also show that vinegar can help you
lose weight.
Several human studies show that vinegar can increase
satiety, help you eat fewer calories and lead to actual
pounds lost on the scale.
For example, if people take vinegar along with a high-
carb meal, they get increased feelings of fullness and end
up eating 200–275 fewer calories for the rest of the day
(11, 12).
A study in 175 people with obesity showed that daily
apple cider vinegar consumption led to reduced belly fat
and weight loss (13):
• 15 mL (1 tablespoon): Lost 2.6 pounds, or 1.2
kilograms.
• 30 mL (2 tablespoons): Lost 3.7 pounds, or 1.7
kilograms.
However, keep in mind that this study went on for 3
months, so the true effects on body weight seem to be
rather modest.
That said, just adding or subtracting single foods or
ingredients rarely has a noticeable effect on weight.
It's the entire diet/lifestyle that counts and you need to
combine several effective methods to see results.
Overall, it seems like apple cider vinegar is useful as a
weight loss aid, mainly by promoting satiety and
lowering blood sugar and insulin levels.
But it won't work any miracles on its own.
Summary Studies suggest that vinegar can increase
feelings of fullness and help people eat fewer calories,
which leads to weight loss.
5. Lowers Cholesterol
5. Lowers Cholesterol and Improves Heart
Health
Heart disease is currently the world's most common
cause of premature death (14).
It is known that several biological factors are linked to
either a decreased or increased risk of heart disease.
Several of these "risk factors" can be improved by
vinegar consumption, but many of the studies were done
in animals.
These animal studies suggest that apple cider vinegar
can lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, along with
several other heart disease risk factors (15, 16, 17).
There are also some studies showing that vinegar
reduces blood pressure in rats, which is a major risk
factor for heart disease and kidney problems (18, 19).
The only human evidence so far is an observational
study from Harvard showing that women who ate salad
dressings with vinegar had a reduced risk of heart
disease (20).
But this type of study can only show an association, it
cannot prove that the vinegar caused anything.
As mentioned above, human studies also show that
apple cider vinegar can lower blood sugar levels,
improve insulin sensitivity and help fight diabetes.
These factors should also lead to reduced risk of heart
disease.
Summary Several animal studies have shown that
vinegar can reduce blood triglycerides, cholesterol and
blood pressure. This could lead to a reduced risk of
developing heart disease.
6. May Fight Cancer
6. May Have Protective Effects Against
Cancer
Cancer is a terrible disease characterized by the
uncontrolled growth of cells.
There is a lot of hype online about the anti-cancer effects
of apple cider vinegar.
In fact, numerous studies have shown that various types
of vinegar can kill cancer cells and shrink tumors (21,
22, 23).
However, all of the studies on this were done in isolated
cells in test tubes, or rats, which proves nothing about
what happens in a living, breathing human.
That said, some observational studies in humans have
shown that vinegar consumption is linked to decreased
esophageal cancer in China, but increased bladder
cancer in Serbia (24, 25).
It is possible that consuming apple cider vinegar may
help prevent cancer, but this needs to be researched
more before any recommendations can be made.
Summary Some studies in test tubes and rats have
shown that vinegar can slow the growth of cancer cells
and shrink tumors.
Dosage and How to Use
Dosage and How to Use
The best way to incorporate apple cider vinegar into
your diet is to use it in your cooking — for salad
dressings, homemade mayonnaise and that sort of thing.
Some people also like to dilute it in water and drink it as
a beverage. Common dosages range from 1–2 teaspoons
(5–10 ml) to 1–2 tablespoons (15–30 ml) per day, mixed
in a large glass of water.
It’s best to start with small doses and avoid taking large
amounts, because too much vinegar can cause harmful
side effects.
It is recommended to use organic, unfiltered apple cider
vinegar with the "mother."
Bragg's seems to be the most popular option, which is
available on Amazon along with tons of interesting
testimonials and reviews that are fun to browse through.
Summary A common dosage for apple cider vinegar
ranges from 1 teaspoon to 2 tablespoons per day, either
used in cooking or mixed in a glass of water.
Bottom Line
The Bottom Line
There are a lot of wild claims about apple cider vinegar
on the internet.
Some say that it can increase energy levels and have all
sorts of beneficial effects on health.
Unfortunately, many of these claims are not supported
by science.
Of course, absence of proof isn't proof that something
isn't happening and anecdotes often end up becoming
supported by science down the line.
However, I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for more
studies, since research on natural health products like
these are both few and far between.
From the little evidence available, I think that apple
cider vinegar may be useful and is definitely a good
candidate for some experimentation if you're interested
in it.
At the very least, apple cider vinegar seems to be safe as
long as you don’t go overboard and take excessive
amounts.
Apple cider vinegar also has various other non-health
related uses like hair conditioning, skin care, dental
care, pet use and as a cleaning agent (to name a few).
These can be highly useful for people who like to keep
things as natural and chemical-free as possible.
At the end of the day, apple cider vinegar appears to be
very healthy.
It's not a "miracle" or a "cure-all" like some people seem
to believe, but it does clearly have some important
health benefits, especially for blood sugar and weight
control.
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